Fading
by CrossXArc
Summary: Lunar Knights. I'm no good at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

Rated for: Violence, language, rape (trying to go for implied but I'll put a warning if it isn't), blood, and all those wonderful things. Beware of short chapters.

I do not own Lunar Knights. I do own the OCs.

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Chapter 1: Fade to Black

_The wires bit into his wrists, drawing blood every time he tried getting free. These wires had been tightened around his neck awhile ago, so in a way, it was better where it was now. He was awake, but that was a problem. When he was awake, he had the knowledge of the things said and done to him. The bright side was he couldn't hear anyone and figured this was a small chance to escape. Using his knees (his arms had been tied behind his back) and somehow managed to push himself up, and felt a moment of slight happiness. This didn't last long because the ceiling was lower then he thought and bashed his head, falling back down, feeling pain instead as he landed on his back, thus killing his arms. "Ow, ow, ow! Tha--" A hand clamped over his mouth while the other one played around under his shirt before resting on the zipper of his pants. "Does it hurt? Your arms or wrists? Your head? Or I'll just make you wish you couldn't feel it at all..." He squeezed his eyes shut as the zipper was pulled down and a think cloth was shoved into his mouth in place of the hand. "...don't..." The other one started humming in enjoyment. "I really wish I knew what you were thinking..."_

_"Help..."_

The sewers hadn't changed in the past years, Lucian found. Good thing too, or it would be annoying to re-do the map. However, he actually was looking around for someone. His partner, Aaron, had gone to root out an apparent sudden spike in Undead in the sewers.

That had been two days ago.

So Bea, Earnest, and Kay had asked (cornered) Lucian into going to find him. _"it's only been two days..." _The Dark Swordsman was still thinking that. Aaron, despite not loosing his happy-go-lucky personality, had matured quite a bit into a expert fighter, able to hold his own. Earnest had started to say he was getting as good, if not better, then Trinity had been. Lucian had found _that _extreamly funny for some reason.

He took a turn, nearing the area when the two of them fought the Poe Twins, where he fought with someone else by his side in such a long time. "When have I been a person for thinking about the past?" He asked out loud. Lucian heard Nero chuckle. "Maybe when you finally opened up to someone?" "...you may be right." Slowly, over time, Lucian had started to open up to others besides Nero. It felt good to do so. Kind of like pushing a heavy rock off your foot. _"Bad example." _

This was the Poe room and Aaron wasn't there. "Okay, so...there's still the rooms behind the element block I haven't checked..." "Did you try calling him?" Nero asked. Alice had given him another cellphone, which he in turn had given to Aaron. "I tried and got static. Either it's off or some thing's blocking the signal." "Humm...wasn't there supposed to be an Undead spike?" _"True..." _They had only encountered a hand full of Undead, not the amount that were reported. A nagging voice in his head said 'Trap!'. "Well, he's not here. Let's go to the element block..." Lucian was about to turn around when he was blasted back by a gust of wind. "What the...hell?"

A bird. A giant bird! "Don't...move Lucian. I think it's hungry." It was. Blood red eyes stared hungrily at him from the back wall, barely keeping the bird up from weight. It ruffled its black feathers, trying to figure out whither or not he was worth eating. Now Lucian had gone into suicidal fights before, but he also knew when he _couldn't _win. This was one of them. _"Great...I need Aaron for this..." _The Knight would have no trouble with this. He slowly started to inch himself back towards the exit.

"Between life and death, which starts and which ends?"

Lucian nearly whipped around excepted the bird screeched at him so he stayed put. "Who are you?" "Nobody really. By the way, I only can control that bird so much. Try not to make any sudden movements." He growled quietly but knew he had no choice. The Dark Matter coming from the person behind him was as plain as day. "You're Lucian? I hope I got the right person..." "I am. What do you want?" A long sigh of relief. "That's good. There's no sense in scaring a person I don't need. Getting back on track, I want to give you something but don't turn around. The bird will disappear when I leave so take it then." "What is it?" The Q and A was getting a bit annoying but there wasn't much else to do. "A video. You're looking for your friend...Aaron wasn't it?" Lucian twitched a little. "He's on the tape so I suggest you watch it, and before you ask, I don't know _where _he is but I think this will help." Silence. "I'm leaving." The bird disappeared in a puff of purple smoke and he whipped around. Excluding the tape on the ground, no one was there. "Who...?" "Lucian..." He walked over and picked it up. It was an old cassette tape (VCR). _"So, Aaron is in this?" _It sounded like trouble. _"More over, who was that?" _Defiantly trouble. He glanced down the hall leading out. The person was a Vampire, so why would he giving a Vampire Hunter help?

To many 'whys'.

The place to go to next was Sheridan's. The rapid sound of fingers on keyboard signaled that the scientist was pretty much absorbed in his work and Lucian had to raise his voice to be heard. "Sheridan!" The typing slowed down slightly. "Hello Lucian. What can I do for you?" "Do you have a VCR? I want to watch something." "Sure." The clicking started back up again. "It's in the back room. If you wouldn't mind putting on headphones while you watch it." "Alright."

A VCR was an old thing (more advance things exited) and it took Lucian awhile to figure out how it worked. He placed the cassette tape in and put the headphones on before sitting down and hitting the 'play' button. The screen stayed black. _"What th-" _

"There would be a point to this if you turned on the _lights_." A mid irritated voice nearly made him jump. The screen lit up as the lights flicked on, reveling one small, bound, form. _"...Aaron...!"_

Aaron shut his eyes when the lights turned on, nearly blinding him. He heard something click on so he opened his eyes to see what the 'click' was and felt his heart stop when he saw who was standing over him. "Hey, Aaron. Care to start our play date?" The knife glittered off the lights as it was pressed against his neck. _"Ahh..."_

End Chapter

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that's it!


	2. Chapter 2

Rated for: Violence, language, rape (trying to go for implied but I'll put a warning if it isn't), blood, and all those wonderful things. Beware of short chapters

I do not own Lunar Knights. I do own the OCs. Again, thanks to Heliotropium for the nice review.

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Chapter 2: Walking Line

Aaron gritted his teeth as the knife was slowly and painfully dragged across his already heavily damaged arm. "You don't plan on screaming this time?" He didn't have the energy to answer, and anyways, having someone sitting on top of him was _really _not helping. "Aww..come on, you're still not mad about last night are you? I know that was your first time...and if I have my way, not the last." Arms were placed on the sides of Aaron's head, preventing him from looking away, forcing him to stare into blood red eyes. "So, lighten up! Make me some music." Lips were pressed against his own and no amount of struggling would get him free or get that tongue out of his mouth. Playfully, enjoying every damn minute of it, running over his teeth, after probably the longest time, getting out and run that tongue down his neck. "I can feel your heart beating. What does your blood taste like, I wonder?" Unbidden, Aaron couldn't help but shake and the other one chuckled. "As much as I want to, if I kill you, who can I play with later? But still..." A shallow cut on his neck did make him yelp. "I am a little bit hungry, so I just do this." And started licking up the blood. His heart started to pound madly. Aaron was scared, there was no denying it, and he knew that the Vampire would do anything to make him scream or cry.

Last night was living proof of that.

The Vampire sat back up, licking the blood off his fingers and lips. "Your blood tastes good! Say, Aaron, if you stay alive long enough, because I know you humans don't live long, I'd like to keep trying your blood." If his arms weren't tied behind his back, Aaron would have punched him since he couldn't use his Solar Gun. That had been taken care of awhile ago. But... "How...how do you know my name...?" Cruel laughter. "Wasn't that the name your sunflower friend said before I butchered him? I'm sure his last words were...what was it again...?" The Vampire started mimicking Toasty's voice. "'It's a trap! Run for it Aaron!'" The laughing became louder and Aaron wanted to cover his ears, something to make the noise stop...or just something to make the memory of a dear friend being killed right in front of him disappear. "Oh..." The Vampire wiped away tears born from merriment and leaned forward a bit. "I don't believe I've told you _my _name. It'd be nice if you called me Rntaris." And stood up, taking the knife soaked in Aaron's blood. "Looks like I've got something for the road...hey...if you plan on kicking me, would you mind doing it now?" _"What...?" _Was Rntaris standing with in reach _just_ because he figured that it was what Aaron was thinking?

"Actually..." Using his foot, Rntaris kicked him in his side, flipping him onto his back and began to untie the ropes. Due to the injuries, they fell to his sides as soon as the rope was undone. Aaron was pushed back face up and Rntaris sat down beside him, licking the blood off the knife. "Well..? Your arms are free, so why don't you take a shot in trying to kill me Aaron? I'm so nice, I'll give you this!" And slipped the knife into his right hand.

He didn't think. The was no thinking needed. It was just human instincts to defend when attacked, be it physical or mental. Aaron forced himself up and jabbed the knife right into Rntaris's heart. Rntaris looked quiet surprised for someone who had been egging on another person to stab him. "Wow..." He watched as the blade was dragged down until finally stopping it. "I didn't think you'd _actually _do it! Humans are amazing..." Rntaris climbed back onto him, pulling out the knife out of his chest. He leaned in, close enough so that their noses were nearly touching and grabbed a fistful of Aaron's brown hair while doing random cuts on his face. "You look so sweet when you're in pain...but I still haven't heard that scream..." He was getting impatient, jammed the blade right into Aaron's shoulder and tightened his grip on his hair. "Just scream and this will be all over...just once." When the knife started to move back and forward in his shoulder, it was tempting to give in. "...I...I won't...I won't!" Even with defiance, his voice was small and weak. Rntaris sighed and pulled the knife out. "Turn it off. I've lost interest and I'm going to bed. Stick him back in the cells. That's the only thing that stupid centaur did right..." He stood up, staring at Aaron with eyes that he had once thought were blue, a person he though was just a human being attacked by Undead and someone to help, and walked away, "Maybe tonight might be better." as a parting remark.

Something 'clicked' again, and when Aaron turned his head, he realized that this whole thing had been videotaped. _"What's going on?!"_ Clicking sound of boots and someone touched the back of his head, before the person pulled him into their lap, strong arms holding him up. "...who are...you...?" "Nobody really." Besides the voice being male, Aaron didn't recognize it. "I'm sorry." "...why are you sorry...?" This person was new to him, so why 'sorry'? "I'm sorry for not getting this idea out of Rntaris's head. I'm sorry that I can only do one thing to help you..." "...'one thing'?" Slowly, Aaron was lifted off the ground and carried to the door. With his rapidly fading consciousness, it was impossible to tell what this person looked like or hear all of what he was saying. "...to your friend so he can save you."

_"Lucian..." _

Chapter End

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Seems that listening to "Mad World" while writting this does that to me...

See you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Rated for: Violence, language, rape (trying to go for implied but I'll put a warning if it isn't), blood, and all those wonderful things. Beware of short chapters.

I do not own Lunar Knights. I do own the OCs. Thanks for the review again

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Chapter 3: A Doll's Music Box

Lucian stared at the screen which had run those horrible images. He had nearly snapped the remote in his hands when the camera turned off, leaving the last sight of Aaron's broken body the only not so encouraging thought that his friend was alive, Lucian felt more of himself die. His hands were shaking as he pulled off the headphones and slipped out of the house without anyone noticing. His heart wouldn't stop pounding.

He was scared for Aaron. Scared that one person that put meaning into his life was in the hands of some sadistic Vampire who seemed to enjoy tormenting the young boy. The abuse his partner was being put through was painful, pushing through into Lucian's heart like the knife used on Aaron. Then there was Toasty... "Nero...can you tell...if Toasty is really dead?" Lucian was half-hoping that 'Rntaris' was just saying that. "I'm not too sure...it does feel like I've lost something though." Nero noted. Lucian knew that feeling all too well and continued to walk along the path he was going down before stopping dead in his tracks. _"Wait...wait a minute!" _"Didn't that other Vampire say that the video would show us where he was?" "Humm...true but it didn't show much." A large place with four pillars that was outside. Lucian frowned and started to walk again. "That's not much to go--"

_"That's the only thing that stupid centaur did right..."_

"Centaur..." Both Lucian and Nero figured it out at the same time. "The Hunting Mansion!"

He was just waking up. Pain didn't give him a chance to breathe before lacing through Aaron's body, bring a bit of tears to his eyes. A quite moan escaped his lips as he pushed himself onto his back from the awkward position he had woken up in. Legs were not supposed to bend backwards, but trying to move them only brought more pain. "Ah..." Aaron couldn't help but wonder if there was a place in between dreams and reality. If there was, he'd like to stay there... "No! I'm not giving up." Aaron forced himself to stop thinking like that. That place was death and he'd rather _not _die.

"Nice to see even through all this pain, you still want to live."

The sudden voice made Aaron sit up in surprise. It was the other Vampire, 'Nobody' by the way he kept on introduction himself. "I can give it to you for feeling like dying when Rntaris is around you. Maybe I can help you again..." 'Nobody' held out an object rapped in a cloth and slid it through the bars. Aaron dragged himself over and slowly unwrapped it. "This..." The Solar Gun, Knight. "How did you...?" "I'll explain when my fingers stop burning."

The Hunting Mansion hadn't changed and for that, Lucian was highly thankful for. Killing any Undead that was stupid enough to get in his way, he made his way down to the cell rooms. Lucian only stopped when he smashed into an apparently newly made door one room away from the cells. _"Shit!" _He could have missed the key in the rush down here. Or Rntaris could have it. _Or _there could be a switch to open it. The 'or's piled up in his mind, making everything more and more stressful. _"Calm down...over thinking this won't help me...search this room first since I'm here." _Working things out in his head sometimes helped. _Some times. _

He began to look around and turned up nothing. No switches to pull, no chests, and all the Undead that had been in the room hadn't dropped any. Zip, nothing, and there was his headache back _again_. Lucian let it build up inside of himself and let it out by stabbing Vanargand into the ground, instead of screaming. It helped somewhat.

"Man and I thought Rntaris had a temper. Your sword's going to break if you keep that up." The voice was right beside him and he swung out with Vanargand. The Vampire backed up a few paces. "That wasn't very nice. The least you could do is say hello, since I got you that tape and all." It was him. Red eyes, normal for a Vampire, a black sleeveless shirt and black pants. Blue hair fell in his face as his eyes regarded Lucian with a slight annoyed stare. "You look more determined then when I last saw you. I guess you figured out the hint to where Aaron is...right beyond that door...but where is the key...?" Lucian stared right back. "You know where that key is, don't you?" "And if I did...?" His answer was Vanargand a few inches from his face. "I'll give you ten bucks to do what you're thinking."

Lucian didn't move. If the Vampire did know where the key was, killing him wouldn't help. However, the Vampire had other ideas and grabbed the blade and drove it through his own body. "What?!" "Don't worry about a thing." He grinned, still 'alive and well'. "What you see of me is a projection. It's one of my few powers...it's why I take the moniker, 'Nobody'." Nobody backed up more so the blade was extracted from his chest, his body flickering as he did. "And I take it that's not your real name, 'Nobody'." He smirked and laughed quietly. "And I know Lucian isn't _your_ real name either. Working with the Duke had its advantages." Lucian wasn't going to go there. "Are you going to tell me where the key is? It's obvious that you lied to me when you said you didn't know where Aaron is."

Nobody laughed again and pulled the key out of his pocket. "The key isn't an illusion by the way, but I'm not going to give it to you just yet Lucian." He had to dodge again from an attempt to grab the key. "Hey, I'm doing you a favour. Trust me Lucian..." Nobody's amused look fell to a sad one as he stared at the door. "You don't want to know what's happening back there. There's more than one way to torture someone. I'll give it to you when it's over." He sat down like there was no arguing about it. "How wou—" "I can see what's going on, inside my head, so just sit down while we wait. Don't worry, Aaron won't die." Lucian growled lowly but sat down, trying to think. "You said you worked with Dumas. I'm guessing that Rntaris did too." "For better or worse." Nobody kept the sad look on his face as he looked at the ground. "Rntaris holds everyone in the world as his 'dolls' and considered Dumas as the prized 'doll'...feelings that went beyond obsession. Then the Duke died and lucky you two that he figured out who killed him. Then the Duke died and lucky you two that he figured out who killed him." "So it's revenge then; On me and Aaron for killing his 'doll'." "Yeah...Rntaris's has been torturing you without you knowing it." "...?" "You know someone close to you is suffering...and your semi helpless to do anything...what is that doing to your mind, I wonder?"

Lucian wasn't given the change to answer because a look of pain shot through Nobody's eyes and he held his head. "Ah...ah..." He never had been concerned if a Vampire was in pan or not but this one what the only 'person' that would tell him anything that was going on! "Are you alright?" But Nobody had started humming a tune under his breath with a sickened look in his eyes, body twitching ever so slightly.

_"Be in the grip of Death. Mercy killing."_

He began to repeat this over and over for awhile until his body stopped twitching and let out a sigh. "I'll give you the key now...since it's over..." He tossed the key up in the air and let it drop before standing up, the 'image' of himself flickering like a bad single. "Wait, what were you talking about...?" "It's what I suggest you do to Aaron." And the 'image' flicked out, leaving Lucian alone with the key. Frozen for a moment because of that 'suggestion' and what it could mean, he snapped out of it and grabbed the key and opened the door.

The cells were 'dead' quiet. For some reason, Lucian's legs would only move slowly. Was he scared that Aaron was...no, he wouldn't think that way! For every cell that passed by slowly, he looked in. A movement in the shadows that dwell inside one of them caught his attention. A body. Aaron's body. Lucian nearly ripped the cell door open in his rush to get inside. "Aaron!" He was unconscious, breathing coming short and painfully, but breathing none the less. It was his wounds that were for more worry. Through the rips in his clothing, Lucian could see them along with the easy ones on his arms and legs. Some were small, teasing ones,ones deeper and more painful, and some that looked like they had been planned out. Most of them were fresh. None of his limbs looked broken but there was something definitely wrong with his left leg. Rope burn was easy to spot on his wrists and, when Lucian moved the scarf down a little, neck. There was a good deal of bruising too...and this was what he _could_ see. All this from two days...no wonder Nobody thought a mercy killing would be a 'good idea'. From a Vampire's standpoint, Aaron wouldn't be able to survive much longer on such abuse.

Carefully, Lucian gathered up the battered body in his arms and stood up. Aaron needed medical attention, fast. Moving at a speed that was quick enough to get them outside but no jar open any wounds, he left, getting to the entrance in a short amount of time. At this point, he slowed down to see how Aaron was doing. "Still breathing...thank God..." Maybe he should wake him up...? Or not. Waking him would put him at the mercy of the pain his body was no doubt in. Lucian would just have to wait until he got out of here. "Just that long..." He told himself and started to move again, when Aaron took it into his own hands to wake up. "...Lucian...?" His voice was raw and worn out, eyes out of focus. Lucian didn't break his pace but did respond. "I'm here, Aaron." He laughed, or tried to. "You said my name again." This surprised him enough to stop walking. "Like I said before, I'll call you when I feel like it." Aaron grinned tiredly. "Yeah...I'd bet you smile when you want to as well..." He was fading fast, and Lucian didn't know if it was permanently. "How about I make you a deal? Stay alive long enough and I might smile." His voice was thinking faster than his brain but it worked. "I'm...going to hold you on that...Lucian...since I know I'm...not seeing things again..." And Aaron lost consciousness again, his body going limp in Lucian's arms.

Hallucinating...how many times had that happened? It was easy to chalk it up to severe blood loss but, again, how many times had it happened to Aaron? Thinking he was free from the torture and agony he was being forced though, to find out it only happened in his head? It was maddening in itself and worked towards Rntaris's advantage. Lucian told himself that it wouldn't happen to Aaron again and was just about to go under the bridge when a familiar cold voice spoke.

"Didn't anyone teach you not to take someone else's doll?"

On top of the bridge, when Lucian looked up, was Rntaris. Grey clothes with buckles tightened around his arms and legs, and unlike in the video, chains were connected together in between the limbs, most likely reducing a good deal of movement. Black hair that fell in his face, just like Nobody's, and crimson eyes that regarded him with a touch of insanity. "If you give him back, I'll try to let you off light. Maybe a bit of blood would do the trick?" "Like hell." Lucian replied darkly. "Then how about we play over him?" Rntaris spread his arms out, or as far as they would go (which wasn't much), a grin on his face, making the insanity in his eyes more apparent. "But first put him down on the ground." He caught the look he was given and sighed, jumping down from the bridge with no apparent problems. "It wouldn't be too much fun to fight someone with their hands full. Besides, dolls like him belong on the ground, or better yet, under it." That was the 'enough is enough' comment and after making sure to place Aaron in an out of the way spot, Lucian drew Vanargand. "The Dark Sword...one of the two things that kill my precious doll...I'd take my time with you too, but you aren't my type, so let's make this short." Suddenly, Rntaris disappeared and reappeared behind Lucian, who swung around, flesh connecting with metal. He didn't relax yet, remembering how Nobody was just a 'projection' at the time and not knowing if Rntaris shared the same power. But he just hung off the blade imbedded halfway in his body, blood seeping out like water. Lucian moved to pull the blade out when he reached out and grabbed his neck. "Stupid is as stupid does...Lucian." Blood spilled out of Rntaris's mouth as he spoke, his voice getting darker and darker.

Thunder rolled in the distance as it began to rain.

He tightened his grip for a second before letting go, not moving to pull the blade out of himself. "We're really going to start playing now...and I can guarantee you will suffer the same amount as Aaron did...just in your head." Then as sudden as his disappearing act, Rntaris lashed out with a kick, somehow reaching Lucian, forcing him away. "Ready to play?" "Yeah, let's go."

End Chapter

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good question: Rntaris's name is pronounced "ran-tar-s"


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